This reserve is managed through an agreement between the council of Camargo and FNyH, with the authorization of the Marina de Santander leisure port.

The Pond of Raos is a tiny natural enclave located west of the Bay of Santander. Its boundaries are defined by the constant human activity in the area, surrounded by the marina, the airport facilities and the coastal line that appears a few meters.

Pond Raos is what remains after the transformation of the environment of the Marisma of Raos. The Marisma of Raos was a muddy intertidal plain that bordered the eastern end of the Parayas airport. In the eighties, the wetland was closed with dikes and it was isolated from the tidal dynamics of the bay. Within the urbanization process in the area, the expansion of the Parayas airport runway was started, besides the construction of the Marina of Raos and the expansion of the Raos Industrial Estate.

The vegetation that currently integrates and covers this area is made up of salt marsh plants, represented by halophyte species of great ecological interest. This pond receives fresh water from the rain and salt water from exchange with the Bay.

Within the list of species of birds arriving to this area, it is remarkable the presence of many species protected by conservation legislation, thus, it is also necessary the protection of their habitats, such as this pond. Representative examples of these species are: Eurasian spoonbill, common greenshank, common sandpiper, and common moorhen.

It is worth stressing the actions steadily carried out by FNYH in order to remove non-native plants, the planting of native species typical of wetlands, such as willow and alder, and the restoration of intertidal regime, and intertidal channels, to favour the waterlogging. These measures have accomplished the beginning of the process of recovering this space with very interesting results. Nowadays the pond is in good condition, although there is a constant threat of colonization by pampas grass. This menace is avoided through a yearly regular maintenance, mainly over the entire surface and the limits of the pond.

Partners:

  • Camargo Town Hall
  • Marina de Santander leisure port
  • Counselling of the Environment of the Regional Government of Cantabria.

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